"This series of five was inspired by the Puget Sound waters. Using limited colors and muted tones, I wanted to emanate the solemn and calm mood of the North West shore. The figures and creatures have a greenish tone to them as if the viewer is looking through water. When I began my early sketches on top of the maps, an extra challenge soon presented itself. Lines, colors, and numbers already existed on the paper. Instead of trying to defy what was already there, I used a combination of my own lines and the lines pre-existing on the maps. My own compromises that were made in the making I find somewhat symbolic of the relationship between humans and nature. We must be able to find a happy medium and work with nature. Some of my ideas had to be changed or cut out altogether but I find that this form of forced problem solving made the end result more interesting, and can apply to our world, of problem solving with nature, to make a more beautiful and healthy solution."

Special recognition to the Western Map Collection for providing the maps.